Cheesy Hash Brown + Egg Breakfast Casserole {Make-Aheadable}
This cheesy hash brown egg breakfast casserole is so easy to throw together and can be made the night before! It makes a perfect easy and hearty breakfast for company…or just because!
I love a good breakfast casserole!
As long as there is no soggy, egg-soaked bread in sight, of course (this make-ahead breakfast casserole being a notable, non-soggy exception).
I’ve tried a lot of breakfast bakes in my day, and have decided one of the ultimate criteria has to be the make-aheadability of the casserole.
You’ll be pleased to know this hash brown + eggs + cheese number does very, very well being made the night before.
Which basically makes the next morning a total breeze – a really awesome thing when you happen to be entertaining company or prepping a holiday breakfast.
Eggs and potatoes have lived together in happy breakfast bliss for pretty much forever, and the combo definitely works in this breakfast casserole.
With just enough cheese to keep things exciting, it is equal parts simple, hearty, and delicious.
And a quick shout out (plea) to all the cottage cheese haters out there: please just take a deep breath, and go with it!
I promise the cottage cheese (and sour cream) adds a fantastic creaminess without weird texture issues.
Plus, it gives a great boost in protein without being an in-your-face-cottage-cheese-moment.
I’ve added some notes below the recipe, but I have a very strong feeling this breakfast casserole is open to a myriad of different flavor variations.
Swap out the bacon for sausage…or ham. Or, leave it meatless!
Go for a Denver Omelet flair and add sauteed bell peppers and onions!
This just came to me, but what about a roasted red pepper and feta version? Oh my. Please invite me over; I promise to mind my manners.
I, for one, would also totally embrace a mushroom/onion/ultimate Swiss version.
But I’ll have to try that sometime when my gag-prone children are otherwise occupied so I can enjoy it in peace and serenity.
Versatility is the sign of a great breakfast casserole!
I can’t wait to see what you guys come up with. Report back!
Reading your comments makes my life complete.
With the upcoming holidays and entertaining potential at an all-time high (company staying overnight?), this cheesy hash brown egg breakfast casserole should give you some peace of mind on those busy mornings.
Here are a few of my other overnight breakfast faves in case you need just a bit more inspiration!
Overnight Creme Brulee French Toast Bake
Overnight Cinnamon and Sugar Sweet Rolls
Make-Ahead Sausage and Egg Breakfast Bake
Make-Ahead Refrigerator Bran Muffins
Overnight Maple and Brown Sugar Oatmeal
Overnight Oatmeal Cinnamon Pancakes
One Year Ago: Super Soft Chocolate Frosted Sugar Cookies {Swig Style}
Two Years Ago: Soft Eggnog Sugar Cookies with Whipped Eggnog Frosting
Three Years Ago: Bacon Wrapped Chicken Bites {Main Dish or Appetizer!}
Four Years Ago: Homemade Thin Mint Cookies
Five Years Ago: Chocolate Shortbread Fingers
Cheesy Hash Brown + Egg Breakfast Casserole
Ingredients
- 8 to 16 ounces (227 to 454 g) bacon, chopped, or sausage (see note for other options, too)
- ½ cup small diced onion or shallots
- 8 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 4-5 cups (567 to 680 g) shredded hash browns, frozen or thawed
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce, optional (but delicious)
- 1 teaspoon salt, I use coarse kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ¾ cup (170 g) cottage cheese
- ¾ cup (170 g) sour cream
- 1 cup (114 g) shredded cheddar cheese (preferably sharp)
- 1 cup (114 g) shredded Swiss cheese
- Chopped green onions or chives, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9X13-inch baking pan. Set aside.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon or sausage and onion until cooked through and crisp (for the bacon). Drain excess grease.
- In a large bowl, combine the eggs, hash browns, hot sauce (if using), salt, pepper, cottage cheese, sour cream, and cheese. Add the bacon (or sausage) and onions. Mix to combine.
- Spread the mixture evenly in the prepared pan (at this point the casserole can be covered and refrigerated overnight).
- Bake for 40-45 minutes until lightly golden on the edges, puffy in the center, and a thin knife comes out clean from the center (add 10-15 minutes to the baking time if the casserole has been refrigerated).
- Garnish with chopped green onions or chives. Let the casserole rest for 5-10 minutes before cutting into squares and serving.
Notes
Recommended Products
Recipe Source: adapted from this Taste of Home recipe
I’ve made this many times and love it!
This might be crazy, but I’m trying to figure out a way to serve this at a ward party. Would it double in a large aluminum pan ok? And obviously make 10x… 15x the recipe? Am I crazy?
Yes, you are crazy. 🙂 Haha. But it totally sounds like something I would do. I think it should double fine for a large pan!
This turned out really well! I defrosted 22 oz hashbrowns, used 1 lb sausage and about 8 oz chopped bell peppers. I used all extra sharp cheddar and put half on the top. I baked it right after assembling on 350° convection roast in a glass 9×13 pan for 30 minutes and it was perfect.
I warmed up the leftovers the next day using the same convection roast method and it tasted even better than before 🙂
I’ve had a similar recipe that I’ve used for years. I made yours this morning and can’t get over how yummy this was! The sour cream (we used greek yogurt) was the difference. So very good. No sure why I’m surprised – your recipes are always the best!
Thanks Mel!
What do you think about adding green chiles?
Sounds delicious!
Can it be cooked right after making it or does it require an overnight refridgeration?
Yes, you can bake it right away.
This was part of our Easter brunch today after church. Was so quick and easy. I made it with chopped up cubes of ham and had your delicious salsa to add on top. This made my morning so much easier, so we could enjoy more time spent together as a family. Thank you for your tried and true recipes Mel. Have a blessed Easter.
I made a big batch of this -everyone loved it (even my picky poo 11 year old)! And then, I froze it cut into individual squares. A month later I warmed them up in the microwave and: everyone loved it all over again!
I made mine with maple bacon. It definitely adds a nice sweetness to the dish. I also poured some of the bacon grease into the mix to give it even more yumminess!!!! Mmmmmm!
Delicious! I used 10 eggs, and generously eyeballed the cheeses and cottage cheese and sour cream. And salt. This turned out flavorful and creamy and delightful!! Kids loved it, too.
This casserole is perfect to feed a large crowd, even a few of the picky eaters. Christmas breakfast was a success!! I used sausage on one half and bacon on the other half with cheddar on top. Thank you!!
Made this Christmas morning and it was wonderful!!! It made a lot for my family of 4 and while I didn’t mind eating the leftovers for days after, I may cut the recipe in half next time. Thank you for another great recipe!!
We made this on Christmas morning. We did two casseroles, one with sausage and one with ham. Both were a hit almost completely gone by the end of the morning! Great make-ahead dish to take the stress away on Christmas morning. I’m making it again for dinner tonight.
I didn’t think about making this as a breakfast for dinner. Brilliant idea Kat!!
I made this on Christmas morning. We loved it! Thank you SO much!
Thanks for letting me know, Susan!
Delicious! One of a few things we actually finished the leftovers on. I didn’t have swiss cheese on hand so I did pepper jack instead and didn’t use any meat but it was still really good. Next time I’ll use a variation!
Love the pepper jack addition!
This was really good! I’m also not into breakfast casserole that include bread, so this was perfect for me. We all enjoyed it. A keeper for sure.
Thanks, Stacey!
Mel, this is outstanding. I’ve made the bread-based breakfast casseroles before, and I’m with you — this is so much better. Tasty, easy, works great heated up the next day (or two). I’ve frozen a couple of cooked pieces to see how they thaw out; would be so great for a busy morning down the road. We made a ham & green pepper version and can’t wait to try the other versions as well. Thanks so much for this!!
Freezing individual servings is such a great idea, Andrea!
Made it-loved it! Not too egg-y where other breakfast casseroles usually are. Liked the cottage cheese addition-more protein for the win. Can’t wait to make this one again!
This was delicious! I loved the flavor the swiss cheese gave it and I loved how it wasn’t too “eggy.” Our whole family enjoyed it!
Glad you enjoyed it, Lachelle! Hope you had a Merry Christmas.
And, I used potatoes I had baked and let cool for the hashbrowns 🙂
yicks! terrible at best! Golden retrievers liked it, well somewhat! dry, dry, tasteless!
Grinch:( Merry Christmas to you too…
This was so delicious! Even my picky 6 year old ate it. It was a bit over cooked cause the hubby and kids couldn’t pull themselves away from the new video game. No one noticed but me. Thanks!
Glad you all enjoyed it, Nancy! 🙂
We enjoyed this for Christmas morning breakfast and everyone loved it. I subbed cream cheese for the cottage cheese. It was a little dry – I may have gone a little too heavy on the hash browns. Also, had to leave it on warm for an extra 30+ minutes since we were still unwrapping presents which may have accounted for the dryness. Thanks for this great recipe, Mel!
Thanks for the review, Dani!
I was really impressed with this casserole. It wasn’t soggy or runny. I did 1 lb of ground sausage and skipped the hot sauce, but next time I’ll be sure to add it! I used non fat plain Greek yogurt instead of sour cream, it was a great substitute. I’ll make this again and again.
Thanks, Frances – love hearing people’s changes/variations.
I made this last night for Christmas Morning and it was a huge hit! I used 6 eggs and 4 egg whites and 4 c hash browns, and light sour cream and cottage cheese. I also used a bit less Swiss with a bit more cheddar, just because of our tastes. I’d maybe use a little less hash browns next time but the flavors were great and even my super picky brother loved it. Thanks!
Thanks for letting me know, Camille!
Tried this for Xmas breakfast this morning. Bare edible. Followed the instruction exactly. Bland beyond belief. Desperately in need of salt. When I put it together last night, I thought it was overly dry. After cooking this morning, that proved to be the case. And salt. Only 1 tsp? With all those eggs and potatoes? First recipe I’ve tried from Mel’s site that was disappointing. And this was beyond disappointing. Ended up scrambling eggs instead.
Sorry this wasn’t a win for you, Mark!
Tried it ; Great ; Making it with couple different twists for Christmas Mourning
Todd: How come you only gave it 2 stars? Was it not tasty?
Do you think it would be possible to just use shredded potatoes instead of hash browns?
Never mind –I saw the answer in other comments!
Hi Meesa – yes, I think you could do that.
I’m not a Swiss cheese fan, anyone use another cheese?? Or do all the other flavors mask it enough?
You could probably sub Monterey Jack or another creamy-melting cheese.
Looking forward to making this recipe for a brunch this weekend! Just wondering if there’s any reason cubed hashbrowns won’t work with this since that’s what I already have? Do I need to change anything else if I use them? Thanks!
Yes, I think you can – someone else mentioned that they have but the baking time is longer so keep an eye on that.
Hi Mel. Wondering if the bacon will stay crisp if it sets overnight? I have a thing about squishy bacon. Could I add it to the top in the morning?
Yeah, that’s a great idea!
Do you think you could make this overnight in a slow cooker, or would it burn?
Great question…but I’m not sure! I think if it’s on low it might be ok, but I think it probably would do best for just 4-5 hours.
Thanks! I might risk it and see what happens!
I make a similar breakfast casserole, to which I add one package frozen spinach, cooked on stovetop, per package directions. I also add one small can chopped black olives, for both flavor, and color. I am a vegetarian, so I leave out all meat! Another delicious addition is onr 7.5 oz container Philadelphia brand cream cheese, onion & chive flavor. DELICIOUS!
Thank you for this! I was in stress mode this morning thinking about all the baking and cooking ahead of me for just Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, but this recipe somehow makes it feel a little more manageable. I do make almost everything ahead of time, but it sure is overwhelming this year for some reason. Christmas breakfast solved!
Meant to also thank you for last year’s suggestion of ‘Christmas Baked Eggs’. My husband and I love them and have them often, although I do use half & half instead of heavy cream. It takes very little time to fix and I am so thankful for the recipe.
Glad you love those eggs! They are a favorite here, too!
I used your idea and did them in the instant pot in the egg bites (baby food container) just like your Christmas eggs. So good!!!! I did it under steam for 4 mins with quick pressure release.
Awesome!
Sounds good. I have another hash-brown casserole, but think I will try this soon.
One comment on the cottage cheese issue. Baked in a casserole like this it doesn’t taste like cottage cheese at all in my experience. I like it but don’t eat it that regularly and my problem was always that the other recipe only used a cup and a half. And I didn’t always get the other half used. Also I prefer to buy it on sale, which didn’t always work well with when I wanted to make the dish. So, I experimented and found that I could measure out the amount the recipe needed and freeze it in a freezer bag. Thaw and use it whenever I wanted. And, of course, I can buy it on sale and save it for later.
I will issue the warning that freezing it changes the consistency and I wouldn’t want to eat it plain after thawing. It is much mushier, but this works well in my casserole and it much like what you would get by blending it.
Thanks for your input, Alice!
This looks so yummy! So one quick question (sorry if you covered it and I missed it!) If we make ahead you bake it ahead then reheat with the increased 15 min before serving it?
No, see #4 above. She mixes it covers and refrigerates it, then bakes it with the extra time added.
Thanks Alice 🙂
Thanks for chiming in, Alice. That’s right – I mix it all together and then refrigerate (unbaked) and then add a few minutes to the baking time. Does that make sense?
Yes, thanks so much!
I really hate cottage cheese! Is there any way to get around using it??
I’ve given some tips below in the comments…basically, I think even cottage cheese haters will be fine (you can’t taste it or identify the texture, in my opinion), but if you don’t want to use it, you’ll have to experiment with changes. Maybe ricotta? Or additional sour cream
Goodmorning Mel, do you chop the hash browns up first? The ones we have in Australia are quite large. This does sound so delicious, thanks for another fab recipe.
Have a lovely day.
Fi
Hi Fiona – no, I don’t chop the hash browns, but that’s because they are in thin, short strands. If they are larger you can chop – or just use them like they are and increase the baking time. 🙂
Christmas breakfast done now thanks to you. Perfect idea to feed everyone. I love that the meat and the cheeses are adaptable to preferences.
Hope you love it, Sheila! Merry Christmas!
Can this be made a few days ahead and frozen?
I haven’t tried freezing it, so I’m not sure – sorry!
I really want to heed your advice but I can’t bring myself to buy cottage cheese let alone put it in something that I would eat. Is there something else that could be substituted for that?
I am totally there with you, Shane! Can’t even watch others eat the stuff. Luckly, Ricotta cheese will work perfectly here. Have you tried ricotta?
Maybe try blending it up like another commenter suggested – or use ricotta or sub with sour cream? Haven’t tried any of those, but they might be a good starting place. 🙂
This style of breakfast casserole also works amazingly with the cubed frozen hashbrowns, though if you leave them frozen, it takes way longer than 10 extra minutes to cook the casserole (I had problems with edges and bottom being overdone and middle still liquidy) so I suggest thawing first.
Also try dairy-free! I know you would miss the cottage cheese and sour cream, but I promise if you season the eggs well and add meat and/or veggies, it works really well! This is how I make a gluten-free breakfast casserole for some of my neighbors.
This looks fantastic, and I think it will be our Christmas morning breakfast. The last couple years I’ve made something sweet for Christmas breakfast and it’s been a little too much because we like to enjoy more sweets later in the day. This year I’ve vowed not to do a sweet breakfast and this one looks like the winner. Also, cottage cheese belongs in eggs! I have two scrambled eggs nearly every morning and I always add a spoonful of cottage cheese. I love the flavor, I think it makes the eggs a little fluffier, and it’s a great way to get in a little extra protein. My favorite brand of cottage cheese, hands down, is Nordica. It’s so yummy!
I’ll have to look for the Nordica brand (I love cottage cheese, too, AND I eat two eggs every morning for breakfast – now I’m going to start adding cottage cheese!).
This looks good! Do you have a very good recipe for cheesy potatoes to serve as a side with ham and with beef? I have tried using both types of frozen hash browns, have even used them thawed, but they do not taste good, and the texture is hard. Thank you! Merry Christmas to you and yours!
Hi Nancy – this is my favorite cheesy potato dish (https://www.melskitchencafe.com/cheesy-au-gratin-potatoes-2/). It calls for hash browns but I only ever make it with real potatoes (I boil potatoes, drain, and chill them in the fridge – then I either shred on the holes of a box grater or cut into small pieces before using).
I was just looking at your other breakfast casserole yesterday, thinking, I think I would rather have something with potatoes in it! 🙂 Perfect! Thanks, Mel!
Do you pre-cook the sausage/bacon or leave it raw?
Yes, she cooks it. See step #2
Hello! Can’t wait to try this. I am asking your opinion–because you are far more knowledgeable about using whole food ingredients than I am–do you think it would be possible to use fresh potatoes for this? Maybe boil them for 20 minutes, then shred and proceed with the recipe?
Hey Becky – I’ve wondered the same thing, and yes, I think you could! I’d boil and let cool COMPLETELY (and chill) and then shred on a box grater.
If you have an Instant Pot, it is easy to cook the potatoes, refrigerate overnight and shred when they are cold the next day.
Great point!
I assume the meat or other options go in with everything else. BUT, I never thought of just mixing the hash browns in too – so much easier than layering them first. I’m saving this one for sure!
Yes, sorry about that! Just fixed the directions.
Totally making this for Christmas morning.
Can’t wait to try this! Do you put the bacon/sausage and onion in the mix with all the other items in step 3?
I was wondering the same thing!
Yep! Sorry about that. Just added it to the directions.
This looks so scrumptious. I love hash browns in anything, If anyone is worried about cottage cheese, like my family is, I recommend blending it up. The extra step of putting it in my mini food processor and blending it until smooth ensures it is undetectable for my family. I do this when I use cottage cheese for lasagna, stuffed shells, etc. It sounds like this recipe is not cottage-cheesy according to Mel, but I think I will still blend it to make sure. Can’t wait to try it. Thanks and have a happy holiday Mel and everyone!!!
Great idea on the cottage cheese, Teresa!